<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>things you can't remember/things you can't forget by brassballoon, queeniedee</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22926985">things you can't remember/things you can't forget</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/brassballoon/pseuds/brassballoon'>brassballoon</a>, <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/queeniedee/pseuds/queeniedee'>queeniedee</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>RWBY</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Time Travel, Implied/Referenced Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, M/M, Memory Loss</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-02-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 06:35:24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>9,291</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22926985</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/brassballoon/pseuds/brassballoon, https://archiveofourown.org/users/queeniedee/pseuds/queeniedee</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p><i>The present becomes the past even while we attempt to define it, and like a flash of lightning, at once exists and expires.</i> </p><p>A terrible military experiment gone wrong causes James Ironwood to lose half his body. In return, he gains the ability to control time. He realizes that he can use this to visit the future but going too far into the past comes with a price. Curiosity compels him to travel through time and master his new abilities, but when he catches the attention of a certain organization, he finds himself on the run. Will a certain broken crimson eyed alcoholic help James realize that there are certain things you'll never forget, even when you can't remember?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Qrow Branwen/James Ironwood</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>10</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. falling</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>An ongoing time travel rp between queenie-dee and daboboy that we've turned into a fic. Warning, this gets explicit in a few chapters!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>Time is the most undefinable yet paradoxical of things; the past is gone, the future does not come, and the present becomes the past even while we attempt to define it, and, like a flash of lightning, at once exists and expires.</em>
</p><p>Past. Present. Future.</p><p>Time can be seen as something so trivial yet so vital to life. Many who lived it was always in a hurry and some take their time to enjoy it. Time to work, time to play, to plan, to love, to die... time was everything in life. James once knew what it was like. He remembered a time when every minute and second was so precious it had to be used wisely. Even when he was in the Atlas military everything was focused on time and how it could not be wasted on foolishness.<br/>His youth though his time was used in studies and what little time he had he would use it to sneak off and play with his friends. Time to enjoy life. Time for war. Time for love. He wished he could remember when time was just a simple concept.</p><p>Before his incident before his abilities before… Well, everything. Now, here he was almost 80 years into the future and with the ability to control time. He could travel forward even freeze it when he wanted to, but to travel back in time was another story. His curiosity got the better of him and he had traveled to different times. That traveling also caught the attention of some unwanted people now that he was here in Mistral. He walked into the city, taking in his surroundings. It had definitely changed since the last time he was here. It had been nearly thirty years he remembered as he walked down the street. He saw a collector’s shop and entered, he was automatically greeted by a short and unimpressed looking man.</p><p>“Is there anything I can help you with?” He asked, giving James a look, obviously not happy that James was in his shop.</p><p>“Yes, I wanted to know what kind of items you collect and buy?” James asked, unfazed by the other man’s judgmental gaze.</p><p>“Nothing but rare and priceless relics, gems, and paintings, of course. No trash trinkets that people like yourself bring,” he crossed his arms. James didn’t say a word and looked around the shop. The man reminded him of the high class merchants he once dealt with when he was younger. The ones that looked down on those who didn’t pay for or look the part. He hated them as a kid growing up.</p><p>“Now if you don’t mind, if you are not going to buy or sell I am going to ask you to-” The old man started before James cut him off by throwing him a pouch.<br/>“That should be to your liking, they’re rubies and sapphires." The man gaped at him before looking into the pouch, pulling out the gems with wide eyes. He hurried to get his instruments to check if they were genuine.</p><p>“H-how on earth did you get these?! Their quality is the rarest in the market!" He asked checking each one before looking up at James. "H-how much do you want? I’ll give you anything!”</p><p>James hummed. “I thought you didn't take trash trinkets,” he walked over to him and took the pouch from his hands.<br/>“Please, sir! I will give you anything, I can direct you to the highest bidder if we split it fifty percent?” James frowned and turned to him. Ten percent, take it or leave it, whatever the highest bidder gives.” The old man was about to protest when James lifted a finger.</p><p>“Five percent or nothing.”</p><p>The man frowned, “FINE! It’s a deal!” He took James' hand and shook it. “There’s going to be an auction tonight!”</p><p>James smiled. “Good, now let us go to this auction and I will be keeping the gems till all transactions are completed and the auction is done.”<br/>The man opened his mouth to protest but stopped. “Have it your way.” He said huffing while James followed behind him.</p><p> </p><p>BEEP. BEEP. BEEP.<br/>Qrow groaned. His head was throbbing and his eyes felt glued shut. He fumbled with his scroll, trying to stop his alarm. He pulled the blankets over his head and sighed. He did not want to go into work today. Yesterday was the first time one of his kids had been seriously hurt on the machinery in his classroom and he knew it was his fault. He should've been keeping an eye on him, watching him more carefully. He had just stepped out for a smoke, he wasn't gone for more than five minutes. He thought his bad luck would come up eventually, he just didn't think it would be like this. Qrow sighed and ran his hand under the pillow, grabbing his flask and fumbling with the cap before taking a swig. Just a sip to get him through his hangover, he thought.</p><p>"Hey Mr. Branwen." A skinny kid with bright red hair and a timid smile waved at him as he walked down the hall.</p><p>"Oh, hey Ash." He replied, giving him a small wave in return. "Are those your new designs?" He asked, pointing to the rolled up paper under his arm." Ash nodded. "Wanna see?"</p><p>"Well I'd love to kiddo, but I'm already late." Qrow said, glancing up at the clock on the wall. "Show me later during class." He said, facing towards Ash as he walked backwards down the hall. He turned around and stared at the door in front of him. <em>Headmaster Goodwitch</em>, the plaque read. The <em>Goodwitch</em> lettering on the plaque looked much newer than <em>Headmaster</em>. Qrow took a deep breath and opened the door.</p><p>A serious looking blonde woman stood by the window, shuffling through a file folder.</p><p>"Qrow." She said, removing a folder and gesturing for him to take a seat in front of the desk. Qrow sat, his left knee bouncing a little.</p><p>"Glynda." Qrow said, trying to seem calmer than he was. He knew he wasn't a student, and hadn't been for a long time, but his days spent in this office as a kid when he was in trouble came flooding back to him.</p><p>Glynda had a look of concern on her face and gave him a small smile as she sat across from him.</p><p>"I know what happened the other day was an accident."<br/>Qrow's face fell. <em>So much for niceties. </em></p><p>"But you can't keep taking risks like that." She leaned forward, setting her elbows on the desk, her hands steepled.</p><p>"It's one thing to ignore your own well-being," she said, glancing at the hip where he kept his flask, "but I cannot have you putting our kids in danger." She sighed and sat up in her chair.</p><p>"I know Ozpin might've seen things differently." Qrow visibly flinches at the mention of his name, silently kicking himself. <em>When did he become so obvious? </em>"But please, see this from my perspective." Glynda paused.</p><p>"I miss him too, you know," she added.<br/>Qrow looked at the floor, he wasn't sure if he could look at Glynda right now. <em>He knew he messed up. He knew it. </em></p><p>"You know how much I care about those kids," he said. "This was a one-time lapse of judgement. Give me another chance. Glynda, please. They're all I have."</p><p>Glynda looked sympathetic but unimpressed.</p><p>"I've given you a second chance. And a third, and a fourth. I'm sorry Qrow," she said. </p><p>"I hope you find whatever you're looking for," there was a softness in her eyes, "wherever your road takes you," she said, taking the keys from Qrow and watching him leave.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. encounters</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>James apprehends the local youth and Qrow drinks too much.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The People walked the streets with umbrellas in hand as it rained in Mistral. James walked through them, carrying a bag of groceries in one hand and a small umbrella in the other. He was still getting used to the time he was in. It was about to be his second week here in this era, but it was all very different from the last time he was here. The last time he jumped here was a little over a decade ago, and everything had evolved since. The technology had definitely advanced since, and well, so had the people in a way. He sighed; thankfully, the gems he carried with him were worth a fortune in this time, almost priceless. Nonetheless, even with all the money that he gained, he wasn’t trying to attract anyone's attention. He didn’t have a place to stay to call his own just yet. He had decided he would be staying at an inn for a couple of nights and that he still needed to get himself upgraded with new equipment from this era.</p><p>He noticed the stares some people gave him as he walked down the street. He looked at the reflection of a passing shop window and frowned. “Definitely need some new clothes.” His coat seemed somewhat worn out and ragged looking. He touched his chin, feeling his stubble and running a hand through his hair. “A haircut and trim wouldn’t hurt either..” He heard someone clearing their throat, causing him to look over at a woman and a child who stared at him. He frowned, pulling his collar up, covering his face before walking away quickly. He took it back; the people here would never change.</p><p>Qrow panted heavily before looking around the alleyway, finally finding the bunch of scruffy looking kids that were rifling through his pack at the end of an alley.<br/>"Hey, you punks!" Qrow yelled. "Put my shit down!" He took off into a sprint down the alley, chasing after them and running through some sizable puddles on the way. They were fast, but Qrow could see one of them holding his pack.</p><p>“Later sucker!” one of them called as they all laughed and ran deeper into the darkness of the alley.</p><p>After a few minutes of running down alleys, Qrow caught a glimpse of his pack. It had been raining pretty hard, and it was quite soggy looking. He moaned in frustration and looked at what remained inside—a few books, great. Qrow sighed, just his luck. His wallet had been in there, along with the things he had taken from his desk at school. Photos, books, a few projects given to him by his students. At least he still had a few lien on him and his scroll. He took his flask out from his pocket and drained the last drops. He should've known that kid in trouble was a distraction, but he always did have a soft spot for helping a kid out. He kicked a nearby rock into a puddle and leaned against the alley wall. He shook his empty flask.</p><p>"Ok, the bar it is." He said out loud, taking the few belongings he had left with him to the nearest bar.</p><p>James was taking a shortcut to the inn, especially since he was beginning to get tired of the stares. He knew he should be used to it by now. He wasn’t very normal looking per se. He had a metal piece over his right eye, and he looked like a tall wandering from the past with worn, outdated clothes. He sighed at the thought when he paused. He could hear the ruckus further down and looked up the alley. He almost got run over by a group of kids that were running very fast.<br/>“</p><p>MOVE OLD MAN!” One of them yelled, shoving him to the side, laughing. He frowned, moving out of their way. “I’m not that old,” he thought as he fixed the bags of groceries in his hands. He sighed loudly, obviously annoyed, before he continued walking in the direction that the kids came from.</p><p>“That sucker didn’t see it coming; we stole from him so easily," one of the boys cackled.</p><p>“Yeah, he totally fell for that kid in distress routine; what a loser!” The other replied. James stopped in his steps and turned back to them once he realized what they had done. No wonder they were running so fast.</p><p>“So, that was what the yelling was about?” He commented, lifting his hand up and quickly freezing them in time. He slowly walked over to them and hummed. He studied them for a bit as they stood there, frozen in the action of running. The kids were a range of different ages, some as young as ten years old and others probably maybe 13 or 14, give or take. He could tell they were street kids judging by their clothes and the way they looked.</p><p>“Petty thieves? How original.” He said as he rummaged through their pockets and hands and grabbed the stuff they had stolen. He paused, staring at them, and sighed. He knew they stole to survive... he knew he had done the same, once upon a time. He decided to replace the stolen goods with the groceries he had just bought. He stepped away, moving from their view within the shadows, and unfroze them. He couldn’t help but smile to himself as he watched them return to running, not noticing what had happened.</p><p>He looked down at the items that were stolen. A wallet and some wet books amongst some other things. He flipped through one of the books and noticed a picture inside. He carefully pulled it out of the book and glanced at it seeing four people in it. Two girls and two guys were in the photo; one of the girls was wearing a white hood peering from the side almost shyly. The other woman with long black hair and piercing red eyes stood alongside the two other boys. One of the boys was blond, and the other one stared coolly into the camera. He had dark hair and piercing red eyes, just as the other woman did. He turned the photo over. STRQ was written on the back. Maybe the owner was in the picture? He knew that who he was looking for wasn't either of the women but might be one of the guys.</p><p>“Good, at least I know how they look, whichever one it might be.” James put the picture back into the book. He peered down the alley and tried to see if he could find the man, it was starting to rain again so he would have to hurry. He walked down and noticed the familiar black hair and smiled. “There you are.” He moved quickly, trying his best to catch up, not wanting to lose him.</p><p>Qrow heard the splashing of footsteps behind him. Great, more trouble, he thought. He wasn't about to retake his chances. He didn't look behind him to see who it was; instead, he sped up a little and turned the corner. He quickly walked ahead for a block before ducking into a small bar off of the street. The sign swung slightly in the wind; it read The Crow's Nest. The bar was dimly lit with low ceilings and relatively empty, besides a few people in the corner. The bartender nodded at him and started to pour him a whiskey. Once inside, Qrow took off his rain-soaked jacket and ran a hand through his wet hair, slicking it back. He hoped that had been enough to shake off whoever was following him. He nodded at the bartender and sat at the bar, tucked into a corner where he had a clear view of the door.</p><p>James frowned when he noticed the man quickening his pace. He kept up, trying not to lose him. He’s fast. I’ll give him that, James thought, moving behind him and following as closely as he could. He fought the urge to stop time; he knew he wouldn’t risk it with the number of witnesses around. He paused when the man stopped in front of a small bar. He watched him enter before running over, his arm shielding himself from the rain that had started to pour. He joined the bar after him, and once inside, he shook off some water before looking around. The bar wasn't huge and didn’t have a lot of patrons inside. He frowned, slowly scanning around the room, trying to find the man. I wonder where he could be; it's a small bar... he started moving towards the bar.</p><p>Qrow was sipping on his usual drink when he noticed a peculiarly dressed man walk in. He was...tall and very striking. Qrow would definitely add handsome to the list. There was a certain air about him, but he couldn't put his finger on it. He watched as the man approached the bar and sat down next to him. With a bar this empty, the man had plenty of room to sit wherever he liked, but he had decided to sit next to Qrow. The guy was staring at him, and it looked like he was trying to figure out what to say.</p><p>"You must be new to Mistral," Qrow said with a raised brow.<br/>He took a sip of whiskey while staring at the details of his clothes. His clothes looked dated but well-fitting. Qrow figured he must live outside the city. Nobody wore puffy sleeves anymore.</p><p>James noticed the familiar black hair and smiled internally. “Found him,” he thought, “but now what...” He debated on how to approach the man without seeming weird about it. He didn’t want to alarm the man, nor did he want to start on the wrong foot.<br/>He knew it already looked bad that he was following him. He decided he’d sit next to him and figure it out from there. He ordered a drink from the bartender, taking the opportunity to steal a couple of side glances at the man next to him. He almost looked the same in the photograph; the only difference was the stubbly beard and slightly graying hair. He guessed he was probably in his late twenties, maybe thirties. He licked his lips as he thought about how to spark up a conversation with the man; when the man started talking to him, he took his chance to his surprise.</p><p>"Ah, yes, I am actually," he replied, smiling. "I believe these were stolen from you?" he asked, handing the stolen belongings back to him.</p><p>Qrow choked on his drink.</p><p>"How did you...?" He narrowed his eyes. "Did you follow me?" He noticed the man looked a bit uneasy. He must've been the one who was tailing him earlier. He set his drink down and took his things from the man, returning them to his pack without breaking eye contact. He was relieved to get his stuff back, but he sure didn't like the idea of someone following him. "Who are you?" Qrow asked.</p><p>"I did, but not in the way you’re thinking..." James frowned, feeling like it was a mistake to have mentioned that detail but continued to explain himself. "I heard you yelling when I was walking through the alleyways back to my inn. The kids that stole from you ran into me, I overheard them talking about tricking and stealing from you, and well, I grabbed your items back from them." He offered his hand to shake, hoping that the story was enough for him to believe him. He knew he was taking a risk following this man just to give him back his things, but it was worth a try. "My name is James… James Ironwood." He smiled softly. “A pleasure.”</p><p>Qrow visibly eased a bit, and his shoulders relaxed as he picked his drink up.<br/>"A good samaritan, huh? Well, that's not something you see a lot of these days," Qrow said, returning James' smile. "Qrow." He said, taking James' hand in a firm grasp. "Branwen." He added as an afterthought. "So, what brings you to Mistral?" He asked, taking another sip from his drink. "The pleasant weather or petty crime?"</p><p>James returned the firm grip internally, sighing in relief to see Qrow was no longer questioning him. "Obviously the petty crime," he joked lightly. "I'm actually trying to find a place to start from scratch," he explained. "...Though everything here is very different from what I remembered." It wasn’t a lie, it had been almost a decade since the last time he had been here, and it was as if he had walked into a different world.</p><p>"Oh, you used to live here?" Qrow inquired, fiddling with his sleeves a bit. "It must be nice to travel. I've been here my whole life." He looked past James and out the dingy window; he thought about what had happened earlier that day. If today wasn't just the perfect example of an average day in the life of Qrow Branwen, he didn't know what was. He had always thought about traveling, but something had ever come up, Raven leaving, Summer leaving, helping Tai with Ruby and Yang, teaching his students.. well, he wouldn't have to worry about that anymore. He gripped his glass a little tighter.</p><p>"Sometimes I want just to blow this joint and never come back. Just fly away. Too many bad memories," he said to his glass, knocking back the last of his drink. Qrow's eyes widened as he set the empty glass down and looked at James. "Oh, uh, I didn't mean to get so personal," he smiled faintly at James. "I guess you're just easy to talk to. You kind of remind me of someone I used to know."</p><p>James blinked at Qrow's sudden change of mood, which took him by surprise. He chuckled light-heartedly, trying to lighten the mood a bit. "It's alright; I’ve been around long enough to understand some things. Though to answer your question, no, I just happened to come by when I was young." He took a sip of his drink before looking at Qrow. "Why don't you leave then? I'm just making a quick stop." He paused, wording his sentence carefully. "I had to leave due to some problems in my hometown. I was forced to travel."</p><p>Qrow chuckled. "You say that like it's easy. I'm not exactly on great terms with my family, but we still talk occasionally." A deep sigh leaves Qrow as he crosses his arms. "I'm already a curse here; why bring my misfortune to another town?" He paused for a moment and shrugged, uncrossing his arms to signal the bartender for another drink.</p><p>"Sounds like you've had your share of trouble. Did you travel alone? Don't tell me a handsome guy like you is single," Qrow said to James with a smirk. He started in on his second drink while James was still sipping his first. Qrow knew he likely wasn't making a good impression, but he honestly couldn't bring himself to care at the moment. The guy was hot, and really, what did he have to lose?</p><p>
  <span>James had to pause and reply to the questions that were just thrown at him. He broke into a half-smile, trying to hold back a surprised look. Especially when Qrow questioned him about him being single, he was straight forward. He'd give him that. He couldn’t recall the last time someone tried to hit on him. He wasn’t going to lie; it was flattering, but he decided to brush it off, and he shrugged. He couldn’t risk getting close to anyone, let alone now.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Well, it gets easier when most of your relatives are...deceased," James replied, finishing his drink. "Cursed, you say?" He chuckled, "that we do have in common." He took his wallet out and paid the bartender. “I outlived them...that’s the thing about time...” he added, not saying much afterward. He didn’t want to say much about himself. It was too much of a compromise and too much of a risk, something he has been learning a lot lately. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Qrow lowered his drink and stared at James. His whole family died? Jeez, leave it to Qrow to say the wrong thing at the wrong time. There was an awkward silence between them while Qrow wracked his brain, trying to figure out what to say. He barely knew the guy; it probably wasn't appropriate to ask him what had happened; he wasn't even sure James would want to talk about it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>After a few unbearable moments of silence, James decided it was time for him to take his leave. He pulled away from the bar and nodded at Qrow, "Well, now that you have your stuff back. I’ll let you enjoy the rest of your drinks.” He added a couple more lien to the bar before giving Qrow a sympathetic smile. “I bought you a few rounds on me. I feel like you might need them; it sounds like you had a rough day." He turned and waved a gloved hand at him. “It was nice meeting you, Qrow.” He called as he started to walk out of the bar.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Before Qrow had a chance to say anything, James had already paid for his drinks (and then some) and was waving goodbye. “Hey, I-” Qrow started to say, his elbow bumping his glass as he turned, wanting to talk to James one last time. He tried to catch it, and it fell onto the floor with a crash, the sound of breaking glass echoing through the bar. The bartender gave him a look of pity and left to grab a broom. Real smooth, Branwen. He looked up to see if James was still around, but he had already left. Qrow took the broom from the bartender, frowning as he swept. So much for trying to be friendly with the guy, he knew he wasn’t in the best mindset to be flirting, but it usually went better than that. He hoped James hadn’t witnessed his embarrassing display. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>After more than a few drinks, Qrow left the bar and started walking back to his apartment, his shoulders hunched and his hands in his pockets. It was cold but clear out, and the moon was bright without any cloud cover. The rain had let up, leaving the smell of wet concrete and the sound of tires splashing over the road. Qrow pulled out a cigarette from the pack in his pocket, lighting it and closing his eyes as he took a long drag. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ding. Ding-Ding Ding. His scroll. Who would be calling him this late? He glanced at the name. No caller ID. Hmm. Qrow opened his scroll and answered.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey, there, sweetheart. I heard a certain little birdie got kicked out of the nest,” a familiar voice said, causing Qrow to frown. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What do you want, Roman...” Qrow said, his tone annoyed as he continued walking through the streets. Roman was usually a pain in the ass, and dealing with him only occasionally led to a lucrative job prospect. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Well, I thought you'd be overjoyed to get back into business with your old pal, seeing as your current options are slim," Roman replied in a playful sing-song voice.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Don't tell me you ran out of impressionable youth to recruit," Qrow said. Roman was notorious for finding legal ways to do not-so-legal things, and he and Qrow used to make their fair share of lien together. They started out helping people at first, clearing out Grimm, collecting intelligence on the corrupt, but Roman was always enticed by the promise of more lien and more power. Each job they took pushed the line of moral justification, which led to disagreements between them, and it wasn't long before Qrow jumped ship. Yet, Roman had a point… he had just lost his job, and he wasn't going to last long in the financial department. He needed to figure something out soon.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He sighed into his scroll, regretting what he was about to ask. “Ok, Roman, I'll bite. What sleazy smuggling job do you have for me?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Oh, baby bird, I've got a much bigger worm than that for you…"</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. worms</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Qrow encounters a ghost from his past, James goes shopping, and neither one has learned to stay away from alleys.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p><p>A couple of days passed and James found himself gazing upon a selection of clothing at a  display window of a tailor shop. "Quite different indeed," he said, putting a finger on his chin and tapping it lightly. "I wonder which one is best suited for me," he asked, entering a tailor shop.</p><p>He had finally changed out of his old attire and into some new fresh up to date wear. He sported a long collared white jacket with blue accents and a dark grey collared shirt with a nicely tailored dark blue vest. His pants matched the color of his vest with some black boots that went up to his shins. His hair and beard now trimmed and cleaned up looking a few years younger. He had managed to get some new equipment at the very least. He even got a scroll so that he could use it to communicate with if needed. He glanced at a mannequin cautiously running his gloved fingers over the fabric humming in thought. </p><p>He didn’t really need to buy more clothing, he had bought enough earlier this week but in a way, he felt the shopping reminded him that there was a possibility to have a normal life again. He chuckled, a task as simple as shopping for clothes made him feel like that was ridiculous. He knew he wasn’t here to stay… it wouldn’t be long before they’d find him again. He could only hope that he jumped far enough into the future that it would take a while for the Institute to find him. And if he was lucky, enough time to figure out what his next move would be.</p><p>He looked over the cuff links and glanced at the different designs and colors. He paused at a pair that looked like crows. He frowned, remembering the man at the bar..the man with the name of a bird who wishes to fly free...he thought. He felt bad brushing him off like and it wasn’t like he didn’t find him attractive...he very much was but...he looked away. “He wouldn’t want to get wrapped up in this nor would I let him..” he turned and continued shopping. </p><p> </p><p>---</p><p>
  <em>His class was crowded. All his students were there, packed into the workshop. There were some kids he hadn't seen in years, what were they all doing here? Kids were gathered around Jade as he showed off the weapon he was making. He couldn't quite hear what they were saying, but they were laughing, happy. He hears the loud sound of the saw as he sees Jade trip and fall. The other kids start to surround him, blocking him from view. Their screams pierce through his ears. He's running to reach him but there are so many kids, he keeps pushing through them as he sees the blood spreading on the floor. Someone's grabbing him, holding him back. A familiar sing-song voice in his ear, </em>
</p><p>
  <em> "Oh sweetheart, it's much too late for that." Roman. His heart sunk. Roman’s sickenly strong cologne filled his nose, he smelled like a burning candy shop. "I always said you'd come around eventually, didn't I?" </em>
</p><p>Qrow's eyes flew open. He was drenched in a cold sweat and his clothes were plastered to his body. <em> Fuck. </em>He sat up and threw the covers off, scrubbing his face with his hands. The reoccurring nightmare was enough to deal with on its own, his subconscious didn't need to drag Roman into this too. Qrow took a deep breath before peeling his clothes off and turning on the shower. He had been scouting for the guy Roman had asked him to find for the past few days. This client was paying a stupid amount of lien to locate him, which usually wasn't a great sign, but if he could manage to take the guy in, he wouldn’t have to worry about money for a while.</p><p>He was looking for someone who was part machine. They said he was a dangerous criminal with no understanding of right or wrong, and that he had the ability to freeze people in place with his semblance. Qrow figured he would likely stand out in a crowd, but he hadn’t spotted him around town yet. He had a lead from Ollie about a guy with a metal eyebrow that had come into his tailor shop a few days ago, so he figured he’d start there. He stepped out of the shower and wrapped a towel around his waist. He sighed, looking at the state of his apartment, the last thing he wanted to do was clean right now. Qrow opened the fridge. A few heels of bread, and milk that was definitely expired. <em> Right, you actually have to buy groceries if you want food in your fridge. </em>He threw the bread into the toaster, filling up his flask and grabbing his weapon before coming back to pull the hot toast out. Holding the pieces of toast in his mouth, he locked the door and headed for the tailor shop.</p><p>---</p><p>“Ah welcome back, stranger! Here to buy more of the finest fibers found this side of the mountains?” asked the clerk as James continued to look around the shop. The clerk had bright red hair and was dressed in a sharp purple suit.</p><p>"All our garments come in a variety of colors and patterns!" the clerk continued excitedly. “We've even got a new shipment of the latest styles and trends!”</p><p>James nodded. “Actually, I’m here to pick up a suit that I had placed an order for, is it ready? I'd like to try it on.”</p><p>“Ah, yes yes, Mr. Ironwood, your suit!” The clerk beamed at James' comment, walking over to him. “You know, I loved designing this new piece! You will love it as it was made by yours truly!” He chirped, waving a hand. James could see the glint in his eye and James nodded. “I’m excited to see.”</p><p>"Yes, by all means!" the clerk said joyfully, whisking James into a dressing room. </p><p>---</p><p>It was a bright day, but still cold. Qrow shielded his eyes as he stepped outside, his breath visible in the crisp air. Ollie's wasn't too far from his place. Qrow kept an eye on the people in the streets as he walked, looking for the man who fit his description. All the people he saw definitely looked non-robotic. <em> Let's see what else Ollie remembers. </em>He opened the door to the tailor shop, welcoming the increase in temperature. He looked around, noticing an older man with red hair high on a ladder that was attached to the wall. He was rifling wildly through a stack of folded shirts that sat on the top shelf.</p><p>"I thought I had more sizes here…" the man on the ladder muttered to himself.</p><p>"Hey Ollie," Qrow said, leaning against a nearby display and looking up at him. Ollie jumped, accidentally knocking the shirts down onto the floor.</p><p>"Qrow!" Ollie exclaimed as he managed to catch a few of the shirts from falling. </p><p>"Well you certainly gave me a start, I didn't hear you come in. What can I help you with?" </p><p>Qrow picked the shirts up off the floor and laid them on the counter, he knew his folding skills were not up to Ollie's standards.</p><p>"Yeah, I just wanted to-," Qrow started to explain, but Ollie kept talking. </p><p>"Oh well, you'll have to wait, I'm helping a rather distinguished gentleman at the moment and I need to find his size."</p><p>Qrow looked around, the shop was empty. Either Ollie had really lost it, which Qrow could honestly believe, or the guy was in the dressing room.</p><p>"No problem, I'll come back," Qrow said as he turned to leave. He had some other places to check anyway. He was most definitely not expecting a smoking hot guy to be standing there when he turned around. </p><p>The man had just stepped out of the dressing room and was looking at himself in the full length mirror. <em> Oh. </em>It was the guy he had met in the bar. Jeff? Jim... No… James, yeah that was it. He was wearing a pair of impeccably stylish, well-fitted pants, and a sharp button up shirt that clung to his chest. Qrow couldn't stop himself from staring. The guy had already been hot enough with rain-soaked hair and his grungy puffy sleeved getup, but this was… Qrow felt the display he was leaning on give way, as he heard the snap of one of its legs. A rack of watches toppled to the floor with a crash, and Qrow toppled over right along with it. Qrow froze as his eyes met James'. </p><p> </p><p>James jumped in surprise, quickly turning around to see where the crash had come from. He made eye contact with two familiar red eyes and he broke into a smile. </p><p>“Well, hello again Qrow,” he said, walking over to him and offering a hand. “You alright there?” He bent down to help pick up the watches that had fallen on the ground. “For a guy who's named after a bird you’re not nearly as graceful as one,” he joked. </p><p>Ollie hurried down the ladder and went over to the other two men. </p><p>“What happened? Qrow, my watches!!” he cried, picking up some that obviously had gotten damaged from the fall. “You know I’m trying to run a business here! I can’t sell broken merchandise!” He looked over at James and his attitude changed in a split second. “OH! That suit looks amazing on you Sir!” </p><p>James looked at Ollie and smiled. "Ollie… please, I'm pretty sure this little bird here didn't mean to cause any trouble," he handed him the rest of the watches. "I would be happy to pay for the damaged watches." He looked over at Qrow with a playful smile, "and you can pay me back later." </p><p> </p><p>A dark shade of pink appeared on Qrow's cheeks. <em> Who did this guy think he was? </em> Qrow was not in the business of owing anybody anything, even tall, muscular, handsome guys like James. He couldn't help but feel a little snubbed after his failed attempt at flirting with James earlier, and this was just icing on the cake.</p><p>"Now listen here buddy, I don't need your charity," Qrow said, ignoring James' outstretched hand and picking himself up off the floor. James looked unphased by Qrow's reaction, almost amused. </p><p>"How much is it Ollie?" Qrow asked.</p><p>"Hmm, well let's see…" Ollie said, looking at the watches. "Yes, that's one of a kind… oh those gems will have to be reset… yes, $300 lien should cover it Qrow." Qrow sighed and pulled out his wallet, pushing a stack of credits into Ollie's hands. <em> He was low on lien anyway, what difference did it make. </em></p><p>"Great, now we're even," Qrow said. "I just need to ask you a ques-" James had turned back to the mirror and had brushed his hair away from his face. Qrow noticed the strip of metal over his eyebrow. <em> Bingo </em>. "-tion... Qrow finished with a pause.</p><p>"Yes, what is it Qrow? Qrow? I don't have all day, I'm in the middle of a sale!" Ollie asked a bit annoyed at how unorganized Qrow seemed to be.</p><p>"Never mind Ollie," he said, walking towards James. James was looking through a spinning rack of scarves, his hand stopped over a particularly striking dark blue and grey one as he felt the fabric. Qrow noticed he had a glove on his other hand. <em> Why would someone only wear one glove? </em>Qrow watched James as he leaned against the wall and crossed his arms. </p><p>James couldn’t help but smile at Qrow when he blushed. The man was honestly something else he thought, watching him get up on his own and pay what he owed to Ollie. He was busy gazing at the different scarves when one caught his eye. He paused to stare at it when Qrow appeared once again.</p><p>"You should try it on, it matches your eyes," Qrow said, eliciting a surprised but curious look from James. Qrow uncrossed his arms and walked up to him. "Maybe you're right, I never really thanked you for returning my things the other day," Qrow said, offering him an apologetic smile.</p><p> </p><p>James shrugged, taking a brief moment to look at Qrow before returning to look through the scarves. “I didn’t expect you to, it was an odd situation and from what I could recall, you weren’t having the best day.” He paused at a red grey scarf and smiled. “Though, you can thank me by letting me get you this scarf.. don’t get me wrong, I’m not trying to buy you or anything, I think you should just start letting people… help you out.” He pulled the scarf off the rack and wrapped it around Qrow’s neck. “Just as I thought, it suits you well.” He winked at Qrow and walked away towards the counter.</p><p>“I’m paying for the suit and the scarf as well,” James commented to Ollie, who seemed for a moment dazed by the exchange. “E- Excellent!" Ollie declared. He was getting out various tissue papers. </p><p> </p><p><em> Let people help him out?? Did he really seem that pathetic? </em> Qrow resisted the urge to say anything, swallowing the choice words he wanted to give James. Qrow needed to know more about him. It was possible James knew something about the guy he was looking for and getting into an argument was probably not the best way to get on his good side. Qrow wrapped the scarf around his neck and looked into the mirror. <em> Dammit. </em> It did look good on him. Qrow scowled at James' back as he turned to pay. </p><p>As James took out his wallet, Qrow noticed he had copious amounts of lien. Whoever this guy was, he was loaded. </p><p>"Always glad to be of assistance!" Ollie said, handing James his bag. James smiled and nodded and headed out the door before giving a short wave to both gentlemen. “I’ll see you around.”</p><p>Ollie waved back enthusiastically. He looked pointedly at Qrow. "Do try to keep this one longer than a week, yes?" Ollie said, giving him a smile.</p><p>Qrow rolled his eyes half heartedly and returned Ollie's smile.</p><p>"No promises," he said, heading for the door. "And don't say I never paid for anything, yeah?" He added before giving him a salute with two fingers. He left the shop, wrapping his scarf tighter around his neck. Qrow noticed James walk off down the street, his pace brisk. <em> He doesn't like to stick around, does h</em>e? </p><p> </p><p>Once James was back on the city streets he decided he’d make his way back to his hotel but before long couldn't help but feel like someone was watching him.</p><p> </p><p>As Qrow left, he followed James for a few blocks, keeping his distance so he wouldn't be seen. He wanted to know where James was going but he didn't want to risk being spotted. He ducked into an alley and turned into his bird form, knowing he could keep closer that way. </p><p> </p><p>James decided to take a different path back to the hotel, the feeling of being followed couldn't seem to shake off. He thought at first it was probably him and his paranoia, but the more he walked and the closer he got to his destination, the more he felt it in his gut. Lately, he’d learned not to ignore that kind of feeling if it pestered him that long. He ducked into a dark alley that took him to the backstreets. </p><p> </p><p>Qrow stayed a little ways behind him and watched as James entered an alley. Qrow noticed a cloaked figure walking behind him. He flew closer so that he might be able to see their face.</p><p>The figure pulled something out from under their cape. Qrow saw a flash of metal. A gun was pointed at James. <em> No, wait! </em>Qrow flew as fast as he could towards James. The deafening shot resounded through his ears, leaving a loud ringing in its place. Blood. There was so much blood. Searing pain ran through his arm. He must've turned back into his human form. He looked up, searching for the figure, but the alley was empty. </p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Old Truths New Lies</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>James learns that people can turn into birds.<br/>Qrow learns that he's not so special.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Ch: 4 Old Truths New Lies</p><p> </p><p>---</p><p>James quickly turned at the sudden sound of a gunshot to see Qrow bleeding and a cloaked figure standing not too far behind. He dropped the groceries and hurried over to Qrow. "Qrow?!" He cried out looking up at the cloaked figure who started shooting at them.</p><p>He lifted his hand and froze the bullets in midair and the figure shot at them. He reached Qrow and carefully pulled Qrow close, helping him up. He looked at Qrow confused and worried. Was he following him? He was at Ollie’s shop still when he had left. He frowned.</p><p>"What the hell are you doing here?" He asked almost mad at Qrow. "You're bleeding!" He turned his attention to the cloaked figure and knocked down the bullets and disarmed their gun. He threw a hard punch in the cloaked figure's head sending them to the ground before stepping them down with his boot and pointed his due process at his head unfreezing them. "You have 10 seconds to explain yourself before I blow your fucking brains out." He growled.</p><p>The cloaked figure hissed and before James could react a huge raven flew out of a now-empty cloak. James moved his gun to aim but it quickly flew over a nearby building and out of sight. James frowned and watched the raven fly away then turned to Qrow. Qrow looked sheepishly at James."Uh, hey Jimmy," Qrow said with a smile. "Just out for a stroll."</p><p>“Out for a stroll? And you so happened to get shot right behind me?” James started sounding not very convinced.</p><p>"Looks like we're even now in the alley-rescue department, huh?" He clutched his arm and winced. “Your arm we need to get it checked,” James stated, reaching out to examine it.</p><p>Qrow turned to walk away, avoiding James's hand. "It's not too bad. I think I can take it from here." Qrow gave him a quick smile but there was a sadness in his eyes.</p><p>Qrow turned back around, he had to know. "Wait. Was I seeing things or did you just stop bullets with your hand?"</p><p>James knew he was lying especially since someone attacked them out of nowhere. He couldn’t take any chances, especially not now. He lifted his hand and froze Qrow before he could move anywhere but was able to still hear him. "I know you're lying… Qrow and I don’t think I can trust you. "He said harshly to him.</p><p>He reversed time on Qrow as if a movie cassette on rewind. He was seeing him replay his steps and movements to him turning to a crow just before he got shot. He hid his emotions through it all. Everything. He knew Qrow would see his abilities and even if he could he wasn't going to erase his memories but at least he wasn't bleeding. He let him move in normal time.</p><p>"Just a stroll huh?" he frowned, pulling his gun out and pointing it at him. “Who are you? And who are you working with?”</p><p>Qrow felt his movements reverse and were helpless to stop it. He experienced everything just as it had happened in slow motion. So James had seen him in bird form after all. He looked down at his arm. No blood, no wound. He looked up at James, stunned by what had just happened. Oh. James was not happy. His words stung. Qrow felt his heart drop in his chest. James waited as the gun pointed at him.</p><p> </p><p>"Wait. Let me explain." Qrow said, his tone becoming soft. He closed his eyes taking a deep breath trying to figure out what to say to James that didn’t result with his brains on the alleyway walls. “ We need to talk, you're right and I have a lot to explain as you do to me, but it's not safe out here. Please."</p><p>James narrowed his eyes at him clicking the gun with his thumb. “The person who attacked me and shot you tried to kill me. They then turned into a Raven! You turned into a crow...how do I know you didn't come to kill me or that you two work together?!"</p><p>“Shit not a good way to start” Qrow thought as he sighed deeply and cleared his throat. He knew James had all his right to think that. People turning into birds isn’t common but neither are people who can control time? Now he understood why Roman wanted this guy.</p><p>Ok... Ok," he said slowly. </p><p>"The raven is my sister. I got a call this morning to come to pick you up and take you into the authorities. It looks like she has a slightly different agenda. We're not on great terms, as you could probably tell by her flagrant disregard for keeping me alive." Qrow put his hands in his pockets and looked down.</p><p>"I wasn't trying to hurt you, I just came to keep an eye on you. Look, I don't know what they want you for, but I'm guessing it has something to do with this," Qrow said while making the hand motions James had made when he altered time.” I guess it's up to you whether or not you want to take my word for it.” Qrow looked up at James and tried to get a read on him.</p><p>James didn't show any emotions when Qrow explained himself. Once Qrow had finished explaining he lowered his gun but still kept it in hand. That depends on you because regardless if I believe you or not... .if you're still wanting to turn me into the authorities... I'm going to have to leave again..."He sighed.</p><p>"I guess I wasn't 100% honest with you on the reason why I'm here...I can control time...I can move it to my own will and I can jump to whatever period forward but backward it takes a toll on me...and it caught the attention of a certain organization and since then I have been on the run." He looked at Qrow "I came to this time in hopes of finally being able to settle down, live in peace...fall in love again."</p><p>Qrow recognized the look in James' face. Someone who had lost everything. Yet he was trying to move on. Qrow felt a little conflicted. The story that he just told him seemed so far fetched it was almost impossible to believe but should he be surprised. He knew he had a mission on hand Roman was offered a pretty good amount of lien but...having seen the way Jame’s face looked reminded him of himself a little.</p><p>James' demeanor then changed once he mentioned about loving again and pinned a startled Qrow to the wall with a serious look on his face. "Don’t risk your life for me... taking a bullet for me..what if you got killed!" he frowned. "I'm not worth dying over.</p><p>"Qrow stiffened. </p><p>"And you think I wanted to see you die?" Qrow stared at James, he looked like he wanted to say more, but stuck his jaw out instead. Qrow broke free of James' grasp. He bit his lip and sighed. “I’m going to regret this..”</p><p>"I'm not going to turn you in," Qrow said, kicking a nearby rock. He turned to face James.</p><p>"How is what you're doing even possible? Are you saying you don't age? If you went forward in time a year, would you lose their trail?" Qrow's eyebrows were furrowed.</p><p>“Oh, here come the questions. .”James thought. He sighed "I was participating in an experiment back when I was in the Atlas military. It went wrong and it cost me half my body...when I was recovering...I noticed I was able to stop time..and then I pushed my abilities even more until I was able to time travel. I do age but I figured out a way not to. I'm not immortal. " He put a hand on his chin. "I honestly don't know how I was able to get these abilities but I drew the attention of the wrong people. Also, trust me I've gone forward 20 years and they've still been able to find me..." he walked over to Qrow. "I'm the age of a 90-year-old man. I honestly lost count after 65." He softened his gaze. "I know this is a lot to take in but...Thank you for not turning me in."</p><p>90?! Qrow thought to himself. Shit. Old enough to be a Daddy... Qrow chuckled. </p><p>Qrow leaned against the wall. "Well, what's the point of running if they always find you? Sounds like you need a new strategy and I’ll help you." Qrow looked up as a bird flew over them.</p><p>"I don't think we should stick around here..."</p><p> </p><p>James frowned in confusion at him. “You know that you’d be marking yourself as a target. I </p><p>know we don’t know each other but know these guys are not to be underestimated.” he looked up and also noticed the bird. "Let's go then..." he started walking past him. "I assume you have a plan, little bird." He looked over at Qrow with a questioning look. "Also how can you do that? Turn into a crow...can you turn into other things?"</p><p>“A story for another time” Qrow started, running ahead of James looking over his shoulder. I have an idea, and it may or may not be a good idea, come on." Qrow led James through the busy part of town, darting into various bookshops and trying to keep a low profile.</p><p>---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</p><p>Raven stared down at her twin brother’s back as he ran with her target. “That idiot is always getting in my way of the job.” She mumbled. She knew Qrow was also sent to retrieve a man that was half metal and was considered to be extremely dangerous.</p><p>She sat on the ledge of the building watching them before they disappeared into town. “What are you up to brother…” she frowned. “You know getting yourself mixed up with these kinds of people means trouble…”</p><p>“Failed to retrieve the target?” a voice spoke behind her causing her to roll her eyes. “No just some unexpected interference by my annoying twin brother…”Raven replied.</p><p>The sound of clicking heels approached her before standing a few feet away from her. “I feel like those are just petty excuses dear birdie”</p><p>Raven continued to keep her back turned to the figure staring out at nothing. “You know I always get the job done, stop being an irritating little bitch Cinder. You’re still under me.”</p><p>Raven quickly turned and stood up pulling out her sword to deflect Cinder’s mutated hand. Raven gave her a cold stare. “You have years to catch up to me if you even think about trying to fight me Cinder…”</p><p>Cinder grunted and pulled away. “You won’t be saying those words once they decide to pick me as the next keeper once I bring them the target before you do.” Cinder turned and left Raven who turned to stare down at the town. “Be careful Qrow hope you’re not too outdated for a challenge..” she paused and then turned as a portal formed before her. "if not it's going to cost your life." She watched as more figures stepped through her portal. "Try not to make a mess this time," she said leaving them there and vanishing.</p>
  </div></div>
</body>
</html>